44 Social Policy Agenda 2005-10
| (26381)
6370/05
COM(05) 33
| Commission Communication on the Social Agenda
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| Legal base | — |
| Department | Work and Pensions
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| Basis of consideration | Minister's letter of 7 April 2005
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| Previous Committee Report | HC 38-xi (2004-05), para 4 (15 March 2005)
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| Discussed in Council | 22/23 March 2005
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared
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Background
44.1 In December 2000, the Nice European Council approved a European
Social Agenda for the next five years.[174]
The Agenda was based on six guiding principles:
· more
and better jobs;
· creating
a new balance between flexibility and security in employment;
· promoting
social inclusion;
· modernising
social protection;
· promoting
gender equality; and
· strengthening
the social policy aspects of the enlargement of the EU and of
the EU's external relations.
44.2 The Communication presents the Commission's
proposals for a new Social Agenda for the next five years, based
on the principles which underpinned the first Agenda. The proposed
Agenda is intended to be complementary to the Commission's proposal
for a new Partnership for Growth and Jobs as an outcome of the
mid-term review of the Lisbon Agenda.[175]
44.3 The proposed Agenda:
· aims
to modernise the European social model so as to strengthen citizens'
confidence in their own ability to adapt to increased global competition,
further technological development and an ageing European population;
· outlines
measures to promote full employment; and
· outlines
measures to improve social cohesion.
44.4 The then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
at the Department for Work and Pensions (Mr Chris Pond) told the
previous Committee that the Government largely welcomed the proposed
Social Agenda with its focuses on providing jobs and equal opportunities
for all. He added, however, the Government was likely to have
difficulties with some of the specific detailed policy areas identified
for future Commission action. The previous Committee asked the
Minister which matters were likely to cause difficulties and kept
the document under scrutiny pending his reply.
The Minister's letter of 7 April 2005
44.5 In reply to our predecessors' question, the
then Minister said that, as specific proposals are made by the
Commission, the Government would consider them on their merits
on the basis of their contribution to the Lisbon strategy, better
regulation principles and the avoidance of imposing unnecessary
burdens on business. He added, however, that some issues would
need particularly careful consideration.
44.6 For example, the proposed Social Agenda identifies
revision of the Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE)[176]
and Collective Redundancy Directives[177]
as an area for future work. The Minister's letter of 7 April said
that, although the Government was currently consulting on some
refinements to the existing UK TUPE Regulations, the Acquired
Rights Directive (which is implemented in the UK by the TUPE Regulations)
was revised in 1998, and there was no evidence of any significant
problems with its current operation. So the Government questioned
the priority of further work at EU level on the subject.
44.7 The Communication says that the Commission intends
to propose an operational framework for transnational collective
bargaining on such matters as conditions of employment and training.
The Minister's letter said that, in the Government's view, it
was for the employers and unions, rather than the governments
of the Member States, to reach agreement on any such framework.
44.8 The Communication says that, later this year,
the Commission will propose an initiative on the protection of
the personal data of workers. The Minister's letter to the previous
Committee said that the principles of data protection are fully
addressed by the General Data Protection Directive of 1995 and
the Data Protection Act 1998. The Government considered that there
was no need for separate and specific workplace legislation.
44.9 The Communication says that the Commission will
also begin consultations later this year on why Member States'
existing minimum income schemes are not sufficiently effective.
The Minister's letter said that the Government would not welcome
any attempt to introduce EU-wide minimum income levels or EU regulation
on minimum incomes for people who are in or out of work. He added:
"The UK supports an approach to achieving inclusion
by improving through access to work, and would want to ensure
that Member States can set minimum incomes in line with their
national conditions."
Conclusion
44.10 We are grateful for the then Minister's
helpful explanation of the Commission's proposals with which the
Government might have difficulties. We consider that all the matters
he mentioned are important and we shall scrutinise the specific
proposals with great care when they are submitted to us. At this
stage, however, we have no further questions to put to the Government
about the document and we are now content to clear it from scrutiny.
174 See (21420) 9964/00: HC 23-xxvi (1999-2000), para
1 (26 July 2000); and (21902) 14011/00: HC 28-iii (2000-01), para
13 (17 January 2001). Back
175
See (26351) 5990/05: HC 38-x (2004-05), para 4 (2 March 2005). Back
176
Directive 2001/23/EC. Back
177
Directive 98/59/EC. Back
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